Anyone ever been stopped taking meat or milk products into Calais?

[nomad2022]

Taking ferry over to Calais on Thursday just looking at Foreign Office advice and apparently you can’t take meat or dairy products with you? Does that mean I should travel with empty fridge and do a super shop once I get accross? Was planning to stock up fridge beforehand but don’t want to get hassled over a bit of ham/bacon milk/cheese!

 

[Michael Rennison]

In September we had English customs ask if we had any fireworks or dangerous knives. They had a good look around inside. On the way back it was stowaways: checking under the fixed bed and in the bathroom. Car drivers had their roofboxes opened and emptied. Super slow when no one could find the keys and panic ensued as pockets emptied and big bother for the driver.

 

[Ridgeway]

Isn’t there an easy answer to this if (big if) you get stopped, just say your final destination is a non EU country and you’re in transit through the EU.

I have used this once with the over zealous border controls here in CH when we still had a UK plated car, they accepted my argument and I was told to drive on without any meat being confiscated.

 

[TonyEmm]

I think most here are well aware of the 'rules'.. the question was has anyone been searched etc..

Like others, we have crossed via Eurotunnel this year and not been searched.

As the rules are the rules, why even consider the alternative? Supermarkets are not exactly rare in France!

 

[Luna the Magic Van]

Taking ferry over to Calais on Thursday just looking at Foreign Office advice and apparently you can’t take meat or dairy products with you? Does that mean I should travel with empty fridge and do a super shop once I get accross? Was planning to stock up fridge beforehand but don’t want to get hassled over a bit of ham/bacon milk/cheese!

Buy in France, it’s cheaper and better choice anyway.

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[OutTheOffice]

I dont see the problem here, just drive into the nearest Intermarche or Leclerc when you get off the ferry and stock up. Really not an issue and no stress

 

[Minxy]

We crossed on Thursday on Euro Tunnel, just our passport and the dog's passports/AHC checked. No-one asked any questions ref food/drink and no sign of anyone being bothered, just the usual gas check and that was it.

 

[Lenny HB]

Took a packet of bacon with us on our last trip, came back 5 weeks later with it unopened.

 

[Spriddler]

Took a packet of bacon with us on our last trip, came back 5 weeks later with it unopened.

I expect you kept the receipt and took it back for a refund.

 

[LesW]

As the rules are the rules, why even consider the alternative? Supermarkets are not exactly rare in France!

I agree, and shopping in France is what we did... Though we did have a fridge full of vegetarian alternatives.

However the question was about being searched.

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[Mad dog]

Never asked about meat, etc in 20 years... This law was in place before brexit & has never been enforced as far as I know.

 

[TonyEmm]

Never asked about meat, etc in 20 years... This law was in place before brexit & has never been enforced as far as I know.

Others know different though! Sounds a bit like the a-framing threads? .
illegal is illegal. End of….

 

[Minxy]

Took a packet of bacon with us on our last trip, came back 5 weeks later with it unopened.

Couldn't work out how to open it then!

 

[philann]

Never asked about meat, etc in 20 years... This law was in place before brexit & has never been enforced as far as I know.

It was in 2001 during the Foot and Mouth epidemic, we crossed from Portsmouth and every vehicle was searched and meat products removed.
I suspect that the current laws are in place in case of a new outbreak but won’t be rigorously enforced unless there is one. Saves having to create a new law at short notice.

 

[BillyKontiki]

There’s a massive Aire at Port Mahon Plage which we use. It’s approx an hour from Calais. Barrier entry and €10/12 for overnight but safe. Public toilet just outside too. Great in the summer as close to the beach and it’s such a lovely place.

And hook up included in cost

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[tonyysue]

Taking ferry over to Calais on Thursday just looking at Foreign Office advice and apparently you can’t take meat or dairy products with you? Does that mean I should travel with empty fridge and do a super shop once I get accross? Was planning to stock up fridge beforehand but don’t want to get hassled over a bit of ham/bacon milk/cheese!

Doesn’t happen - one of the big scare stories of BREXIT! Travelled across in a motorhome 6 times in last year - never looked in Fridge or queried what food on board!

 

[Mona Owner]

Taking ferry over to Calais on Thursday just looking at Foreign Office advice and apparently you can’t take meat or dairy products with you? Does that mean I should travel with empty fridge and do a super shop once I get accross? Was planning to stock up fridge beforehand but don’t want to get hassled over a bit of ham/bacon milk/cheese!

FYI, if you decide not to take a fridge full, my missus made a very successful online order pre departure with Carrefour which we collected on route. Just chose a store on the route and at a time you will be passing. Simples!

 

[Two on Tour]

FYI, if you decide not to take a fridge full, my missus made a very successful online order pre departure with Carrefour which we collected on route. Just chose a store on the route and at a time you will be passing. Simples!

But more importantly in the context of this thread, was your fridge searched?

 

[Insider]

Came back landbridge from Calais to Ireland during the summer. Loaded up on many many boxes of wine in France and some really cheap Jameson in Wales at the ferry port. Landed in Ireland and only later realised that I could have got into quite a bit of trouble in not one country but two!! New type of passport check in Rosslare - I was asked was I Irish and barely got an answer out before I was waved on!! So...no fridge or van checked at both ports!

 

[Ingwe]

Thread reminds me of the late Barry Cryer gag:
Went to a restaurant. The waiter said “eat in or take-away?” “Hopefully, both!” said Barry.

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[VXman]

Buy in France, it’s cheaper and better choice anyway.

Not really. Some stuff is, some isn't. It used to be cheap when we had a strong pound, sadly no longer. I like to home cook a few meals to put in the freezer to get us going and for nights where we cant be bothered. Fresh milk is cheaper in the UK. Also Bacon - it's actually quite difficult to find English style bacon in France, sausages also. Cheddar is cheaper in the UK. Corned beef isn't really available, etc, etc, Also, as a thrifty sort of person I put all leftover fresh food into our motorhome fridge as we leave.

When it comes down to it the rules are there really to stop illegal export of food items. They are not bothered by jow bloggs in a camper talking a cheese sandwich out of the country.

Dairy and meat products were not dangerous to Europeans pre Brexit and they still aren't post Brexit.

I've never been taken to task about what we have in the van - even when we were searched so I'm not going to bother about it now.

 

[Minxy]

Buy in France, it’s cheaper and better choice anyway.

Depends where you shop normally in the UK. We've on the whole always found France to be more expensive for stuff with very little the same or less than the UK. In France, and even Spain, most stuff is more than the UK and meat especially so. The only stuff that is generally cheaper is alcohol but even that's not good now depending on your tipple.

 

[nicholsong]

Depends where you shop normally in the UK. We've on the whole always found France to be more expensive for stuff with very little the same or less than the UK. In France, and even Spain, most stuff is more than the UK and meat especially so. The only stuff that is generally cheaper is alcohol but even that's not good now depending on your tipple.

Mel

There is Spain and then Canaries for alcohol. We are in Gran Canaria and are buying Riojas for around 3 Euros and the same for Cava.

 

[uzsnowdrop]

Actually, the worst case scenario is that you COULD be heavily fined, have your products destroyed and be listed for checks on future crossings. Unlikely, but possible.

Christ, this thread got dark quickly!

Just go for a plea bargain, or shop on the continent, its all over there , Lidl, the works.

 

[Mona Owner]

But more importantly in the context of this thread, was your fridge searched?

No. But I was offering an alternative to risking a search/ confiscation. What's important is that you might get searched and we weren't willing to have our food taken away, simples.